Double Stuf
by SilentTrainConductor
Summary: An after Valentines day story. Pointless, selfmedication. With Quantum Leap and Oreos. Huzzah!


_I wrote this ficlet this morning as a feel-better tool for a depressing day Tuesday. Hopefully today goes better. So hope everyone had a happy V-Day to those who celebrate, and a happy Wednesday to those who don't. _

_Oreos rock my socks. _

_PS No real plot. _

_PPS Not meant to be anything more than friendship._

**Double Stuf **

"Saaam….Saammm….Sam!" Sam stood up quickly, about to shut his door as the voice came closer, but Al got through the doorway first. They almost ran into each other, and Al blinked in surprise before grinning.

"There you are my good buddy! Surprise, surprise to find you in your office." Al squeezed his way past Sam, and nodded at the clutter of paperwork that was spread across Sam's desk.

"Break time!"

"Al, I can't, I'm right in the middle of something and…" Al waved his hand in complete indifference at Sam's plea.

"You're always working, never eating, never sleeping. I'm the only one keeping you alive." Al jabbed his finger at Sam's chest. "Besides, I'm really hungry." At the mention of hungry, Sam realized that his stomach had been aching for the past couple of hours, his stomach made a little noise of pain, and Al just looked at the wide-eyed scientist with amusement.

"Come on." Al pushed forcefully against Sam's back. Sam just let himself be led to the cafeteria, formulas and equations still buzzing in his head.

_IOI OREOS! IOI_

They duo stood staring at the dimly lit cafeteria, and the closed doors that would lead to food. Al glanced at his watch.

"Well that explains it."

"What?"

"It's three in the morning, of course it's closed." Al shook his head. "See what you're doing to me kid…"

"Great! This means I can get back to work!" Sam swiveled, about to head out, but then stopped when he heard Al's gasp.

"What? What's wrong? Al?"

"I missed Valentines Day! I can't believe it…I spent the whole day working…I missed the day of Love. My day…" Sam shook his head, and let out a sigh. Typical. Sam continued on, and winced as he heard Al calling out to him.

"Sam! Where are you goin'? We haven't eaten anything yet!"

"If you haven't noticed, the cafeteria is closed, which means no hot and toasty sandwiches with melted cheese and…"

"There's still the vending machines…" That stopped Sam, and he turned around to face Al.

"Vending machines?" Sam echoed with confusion.

"You know, those things that are filled with snacks and scrumptious goodies…"

"I know what they are, I'm just surprised." Sam smirked.

"What? Why?"

"Well, I thought you have been avoiding since the whole 'It swallowed my dime' incident." Al sniffed haughtily and fluttered his eyes as he answered.

"Sammy boy, I don't hold grudges with machines. I personally installed these machines myself, and I made sure, that they're in topnotch condition!" Sam still gave him a look of doubt, raising his eyebrow in question.

"'sides…" Al continued. "I know you have some dollar bills with you, won't bother me if it's not my money." Sam rolled his eyes and continued to take his wallet out of his pocket, as Al led the way to the vending machines.

"Oh, man Sam we have to restock these things, what is this crap? Dried fruit? Salted peanuts? I bet Verbena wrapped her little finger around the vending machine worker…" Al trailed off, his eyes still scanning the rows of snacks. "Oh Sam! Some healthy food!" Al held his hand out eagerly for the dollar bill, which Sam hesitantly placed into his palm.

"What?"

"Oreos! And would you look at that? There's two little packages, one for me, one for you…"

"Al!" Sam tried to take the dollar back, but it was too late, Al's quick fingers were already pressing the entry number. "Al, that can hardly be called a meal."

"You want the dried fruit? Fine, don't let me stop you, don't blame me if you get all grouchy." The Oreos fell from their prison, and Al giddily picked them up, and held his hand out again.

"What?"

"I need another dollar for the milk." Al whined.

"You have money!" Al looked hurt, and put on the most pathetic look that won over every woman he had been with in the past. Sam stared at him. "No. I only have a dollar left! I want a snack too." Sam admitted.

"Fine, fine…" Al griped, and stuck his hand into his own pockets and pulled out a wad of bills. Sam stared at them, and then at Al, who gave a look of pure innocence. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"Most of them are twenties Sam, I think I only have one dollar bill." Al nodded, "Yup, here it is," he put it in the adjacent machine filled with the cold drinks, and pressed the buttons for the milk, as next to him, Sam pressed the buttons for the dried fruit.

Al got his milk, and looked over to the frazzled scientist, and looked at him in disappointment.

"Oh Sam, the dried fruit? I was joking Sam, joking." Sam pretended to look offended, and he clutched the little bag against his chest.

"It's good for the mind. I need all the help I can get right now."

"Nothing, Sam, nothing, beats a sugar rush."

They sat at a small table, and lightly cleared the table as best they could, before placing their pathetic meal upon it. Al got up to get a couple of cups, and then sat back down, opening his bottle of milk to pour some into the cup, and then proceeded to open his Oreos.

He took one out, inspected it, and then dunked it in the milk. He swirled it around, entranced, and then lifted the cookie to his mouth were it melted as he chewed on it slowly.

Sam watched the whole spectacle with disbelief and snorted.

"You're such a little kid." Sam chuckled, opening up his own snack bag, and got out a wrinkly dried apple, and popped it into his mouth as he would a chip. Sam chewed slowly, his disgust clearly showing on his face that it made his companion giggle.

Finally Sam gagged, and stared at the bag…the expiration date was from two years ago, he held out for Al to see, who quickly swallowed his milk before laughing.

"Guess you were the only one who decided to go for the dried fruit." Sam glared at him, took the bag, stood up, and quickly tossed it in a bin nearest him. He then sat back down in a huff. Al shook his head in sympathy. He slowly pushed a napkin towards his snackless friend.

Sam looked at Al in confusion, and then in understanding as Al filled up the extra cup he brought with milk, and handed Sam four cookies.

"Al…you don't have to…" Al was staring at the cookie in his hand, studied it as a scientist would study a new yet familiar looking creature, when he spoke, interrupting Sam.

"I remember I used to eat Oreos all the time with Trudy. They were her favorite cookie because we would always share them. She loved it when I twisted the cookie and the cream would be on both sides. I always gave her the one with the most cream. Boy, did she love these damn cookies." He chuckled sadly as he continued dipping the cookie he had in his hand into the milk.

Sam smiled, and nodded his head as his own memories formed.

"We hardly got Oreos, usually we ate Mom's homemade cookies, but I do remember this one time, Tom and I sat down with the whole bag, and had a contest to see who could eat the most, there was also a sub contest to see who could scrape off the entire cream of the cookie perfectly. Were we sick that night, Mom didn't have the heart to scold us for eating them before dinner."

He separated the cookie, peeled off the cream in one swift motion and proudly showed the ex-astronaut. Al tilted his head, impressed with what a man with six doctorates could accomplish with an Oreo cookie.

"And you call me the kid." Sam blushed, and quickly popped in the cookie's parts into his mouth. He then took a large gulp of milk, at which it was Al's turn to raise his eyebrows. If possible Sam's blush grew deeper.

"Sorry, habit."

The two continued munching on the cookies in a companionable silence, each one thinking about old memories that they had long forgotten. Funny how the simple taste of a cookie could bring so much back to one.

Suddenly, out of the blue, Al chuckled in amusement. Sam smiled, wanting in on the joke.

"What?"

"I just realized…" Al chuckled. "This is the first time I spend the Morning-After-Valentines-Breakfast…with a guy." Sam slightly choked on his milk as he laughed.

"You're kidding me, how old are you? Like sixty—"

"Fifty-nine, Sam."

"And you mean to tell me, every February 15…you've had breakfast with a woman?"

"I'm very good Sam. I treat all my lovers with love and respect. On Valentines Day especially, it's all about the parting of gifts…"

"Well I should know." Al peered at Sam curiously who was innocently munching on his cookie.

"Was that a joke Sam?" Al grinned "That was a bit risqué for you…"

"It was?" Sam questioned completely baffled, and Al's face dropped.

"Should've known it was on accident." Al finished his last cookie with a quick swallow, and drank up the rest of his milk. Sam mimicked his friend, realizing that break time was coming to a close and there was still work to be done.

"Thanks Al, it was fun. I mean after Donna…Valentine's Day has been…"

"Bah, what are friends for…" Sam then looked down shyly, and let his eyes flutter upwards.

"Maybe next year we can do the same? Except next time, I'll be expecting some of the lovely entertainment you provided your other lovelies." Sam winked and turned around, already walking out the door.

Al just gaped, and stood up from his chair abruptly.

"HA! That was a joke! Right? Sam? Right?" Al quickly followed the scientist out the door. Needing the reassurance "That was funny, a joke huh? Saaammm."

Inwardly, Sam let out an evil chuckle. Al had always made him fluster, now it was his turn. Revenge was sweet.

But even Sam had to admit, Oreos were much sweeter.

_Fin_


End file.
